Analysis of COVID-19 nosocomial clusters in an Omicron strain epidemic: importance of patient education on infection control measures.

A cluster of 129 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nosocomial infections was analysed during the Omicron strain epidemic. The incubation period for nosocomial Omicron strain infections was found to be 3 days. The transmission route of the first patient with COVID-19 (FCP) in each room is a critical factor within these clusters.

Simultaneous Overcoming Approach for Poor Wettability and Low Stability in Stomach by Simple Methods; Formulation Design and Development of Monoacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2 Inhibitor, S-309309.

N-[(4R)-5,7-Difluoro-2'-(5-methylpyridin-2-yl)-4'-oxo-2,2',3,4',5',7'-hexahydrospiro[1-benzopyran-4,6'-pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridin]-3'-yl]-2-(methanesulfonyl)acetamide (S-309309) is an anti-obesity drug developed by Shionogi & Co., Ltd. that has a monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 inhibitory effect.

Importance of serum albumin in machine learning-based prediction of cognitive function in the elderly using a basic blood test.

Introduction: In this study, we investigated the correlation between serum albumin levels and cognitive function, and examined the impact of including serum albumin values in the input layer on the prediction accuracy when forecasting cognitive function using deep learning and other machine learning models.

Methods: We analyzed the electronic health record data from Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital between 2014 and 2021. The study included patients who underwent cognitive function tests during this period; however, patients from whom blood test data was not obtained up to 30 days before the cognitive function tests and those with values due to measurement error in blood test results were excluded.

Novel nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with endopelvic fascia preservation and long-term outcomes for a single surgeon.

Although novel techniques for avoiding incontinence during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy have been developed, long-term oncological outcomes are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term oncological outcomes and functional outcomes of novel nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with endopelvic fascia preservation for a single surgeon. Data from 100 patients who underwent structure-preserving prostatectomies performed by a single surgeon were retrospectively analyzed.

Feasibility of single-port laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy with selective adrenal venous sampling and high-resolution ultrasound for unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas.

Background: The surgical and endocrinological outcomes of single-port laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for patients with aldosterone-producing adenomas are unknown. Precise diagnosis of intra-adrenal aldosterone activity and a precise surgical procedure may improve outcomes. In this study, we aimed to determine the surgical and endocrinological outcomes of single-port laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy with preoperative segmental selective adrenal venous sampling and intraoperative high-resolution laparoscopic ultrasound in patients with unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas.

Development and validation of novel nomogram to identify the candidates for extended pelvic lymph node dissection for prostate cancer patients in the robotic era.

Objectives: To determine candidates for extended pelvic lymph node dissection using a novel nomogram to assess the risk of lymph node invasion in Japanese prostate cancer patients in the robotic era.

Methods: A total of 538 patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection in three hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. Medical records were reviewed uniformly and the following data collected: prostate-specific antigen, age, clinical T stage, primary and secondary Gleason score at prostate biopsy, and percentage of positive core numbers.

Pathological complete response of plasmacytoid variant bladder cancer to pembrolizumab following genomic analysis.

Introduction: Plasmacytoid variant bladder cancer is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma that accounts for 1% of bladder cancers. Plasmacytoid variant urothelial carcinoma is characterized by an aggressive phenotype and poor clinical outcomes.

Case Presentation: A 61-year-old woman presented with gross hematuria.

Who Got Vaccinated for COVID-19? Evidence from Japan.

Vaccination has been critical to reducing infections and deaths during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While previous studies have investigated attitudes toward taking a vaccine, studies on the determinants of COVID-19 vaccination behavior are scant. We examine what characteristics, including socioeconomic and non-economic factors, are associated with vaccination behavior for COVID-19 in Japan.

Effect of providing gender equality information on students' motivations to choose STEM.

The social climate for women studying STEM subjects is changing, but the proportion of women taking STEM subjects in Japan is small. Only 27.9% of university students in the department of science is women in 2019.

Masculinity in the public image of physics and mathematics: a new model comparing Japan and England.

Women are a minority in science, technology, engineering and mathematics academic careers. In particular, few women in Japan choose to study physics and mathematics. In this study, we investigated the factors contributing to the masculine image of physics and mathematics based on the framework of our expanded model.

Intravesical irrigation might prevent bladder recurrence in patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of intravesical irrigation with physiological saline solution or distilled water for the prevention of bladder recurrence in patients undergoing laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

Methods: This retrospective study involved 109 upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma patients who underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy, and were evaluated at Chiba University Hospital and Yokohama Rosai Hospital between 2001 and 2018. We investigated the outcomes and analyzed various clinical factors including with or without intravesical irrigation related to bladder carcinoma recurrence after surgery.

Discovery of Peripheral κ-Opioid Receptor Agonists as Novel Analgesics.

κ-Opioid receptor agonists with high selectivity over the μ-opioid receptor and peripheral selectivity are attractive targets in the development of drugs for pain. We have previously attempted to create novel analgesics with peripheral selective κ-opioid receptor agonist on the basis of TRK-820. In this study, we elucidated the biological properties of 17-hydroxy-cyclopropylmethyl and 10α-hydroxy derivatives.

The effects of vildagliptin compared with metformin on vascular endothelial function and metabolic parameters: a randomized, controlled trial (Sapporo Athero-Incretin Study 3).

Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors may have protective effects in the early stage of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes, although similar effects in advanced atherosclerosis were not shown in recent randomized placebo-controlled studies. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of DPP-4 inhibitor on endothelial function and glycemic metabolism compared with high-dose metformin.

Methods: In this multicenter, open-labeled, prospective, randomized, parallel-group comparison study, patients with type 2 diabetes treated with low-dose metformin (500-750 mg/day) were enrolled and randomly assigned to a vildagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, add-on group (Vilda) or a double dose of metformin group (high Met) for 12 weeks.

Selective degradation of splicing factor CAPERα by anticancer sulfonamides.

Target-protein degradation is an emerging field in drug discovery and development. In particular, the substrate-receptor proteins of the cullin-ubiquitin ligase system play a key role in selective protein degradation, which is an essential component of the anti-myeloma activity of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), such as lenalidomide. Here, we demonstrate that a series of anticancer sulfonamides NSC 719239 (E7820), indisulam, and NSC 339004 (chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide, CQS) induce proteasomal degradation of the U2AF-related splicing factor coactivator of activating protein-1 and estrogen receptors (CAPERα) via CRL4 mediated ubiquitination in human cancer cell lines.

Identification of targets of tumor suppressor microRNA-34a using a reporter library system.

miRNAs play critical roles in various biological processes by targeting specific mRNAs. Current approaches to identifying miRNA targets are insufficient for elucidation of a miRNA regulatory network. Here, we created a cell-based screening system using a luciferase reporter library composed of 4,891 full-length cDNAs, each of which was integrated into the 3' UTR of a luciferase gene.

Systems-based analysis of RIG-I-dependent signalling identifies KHSRP as an inhibitor of RIG-I receptor activation.

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) receptor recognizes 5'-triphosphorylated RNA and triggers a signalling cascade that results in the induction of type-I interferon (IFN)-dependent responses. Its precise regulation represents a pivotal balance between antiviral defences and autoimmunity. To elucidate the cellular cofactors that regulate RIG-I signalling, we performed two global RNA interference analyses to identify both positive and negative regulatory nodes operating on the signalling pathway during virus infection.

[THE RISK AND MANAGEMENT OF RADIATION INDUCED CYSTITIS AFTER RADIOTHERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER].

(Objectives) Radiation induced cystitis (RC) is one of the toxicities we must often treat after radiation therapy for prostate cancer.Some patients require urinary diversion with or without cystectomy.We evaluated the clinical risks and management of RC.

Natural History of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 31: a 4-Year Prospective Study.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 31 (SCA31) is known as a late-onset, relatively pure cerebellar form of ataxia, but a longitudinal prospective study on the natural history of SCA31 has not been done yet. In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled 44 patients (mean ± standard deviation 73.6 ± 8.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Sitagliptin and Glimepiride on Endothelial Function and Metabolic Parameters: Sapporo Athero-Incretin Study 1 (SAIS1).

Objectives: The DPP-4 inhibitors are incretin-related drugs that improve hyperglycemia in a glucose-dependent manner and have been reported to exert favorable effects on atherosclerosis. However, it has not been fully elucidated whether DPP-4 inhibitors are able to improve endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy of sitagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, on endothelial function and glycemic metabolism compared with that of the sulfonylurea glimepiride.

Somatic KCNJ5 mutation occurring early in adrenal development may cause a novel form of juvenile primary aldosteronism.

We report a case of non-familial juvenile primary aldosteronism (PA). Super-selective adrenal venous sampling identified less aldosterone production in the right inferior adrenal segment than others. Bilateral adrenalectomy sparing the segment normalized blood pressure and improved PA.

Characterization of the LP28 strain-specific exopolysaccharide biosynthetic gene cluster found in the whole circular genome of .

We have previously isolated a lactic acid bacterium (LAB), LP28, from the longan fruit . Since the plant-derived LAB strain produces an extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), in this study, we analyzed the chemical structure and the biosynthesizing genes for the EPS. The EPS, which was purified from the LP28 culture broth, was classified into acidic and neutral EPSs with a molecular mass of about 50 kDa and 40 kDa, respectively.

[LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY FOR LARGE RENAL CELL CARCINOMA: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF SAFETY AND ONCOLOGICAL OUTCOME].

(Objectives) To evaluate the safety and oncologic efficacy of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) >7 cm, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcome and long-term cancer control of patients who underwent LRN in comparison to open radical nephrectomy (ORN). (Patients and methods) The clinical records of 79 patients with RCC >7 cm, who underwent radical nephrectomy (37 LRN; 42 ORN) between 1993 and 2014, were reviewed. (Results) The 2 groups (LRN and ORN) were comparable regarding age, body mass index and mean tumor size (86.

[A CASE OF HEPATIC METASTASECTOMY FOR RENAL PELVIS CARCINOMA].

A 68-year-old woman presented with asymptomatic gross hematuria. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed noninvasive tumor in the right ureteropelvic junction. After diagnosis with right pelvis carcinoma by ureteroscopy, she underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in Aug.

Structure-Based Development of a Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitor Targeting Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factor 6.

The interactions between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and TNF superfamily receptors (TNFRSFs) are promising targets for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. However, due to the challenging nature of protein-protein interactions (PPIs), a potent inhibitor that surpasses the affinity of the TRAF6-TNFRSF interactions has not been developed. We developed a small-molecule PPI inhibitor of TRAF6-TNFRSF interactions using NMR and in silico techniques.